Global Manganese Market to Reach 24.9 Million Metric Tons by 2017, According to a New Report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc.

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GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on the manganese market. The global market for manganese is forecast to reach a consumption volume of 24.9 million metric tons by the year 2017. Market growth is buoyed by revival in demand from the global steel industry particularly in China, besides resurgence in construction and industrial activity in North America and Europe, as well as the emerging Asian and Latin American economies. The wide usage of manganese in alloys such as ferro manganese and silico-manganese will further drive up global production and consumption.

Manganese: A Global Strategic Business Report

San Jose, California (PRWEB)April 16, 2012

Follow us on LinkedIn – Manganese, one of the most versatile chemical elements, serves as an important raw material for innumerable applications, particularly the production of steel. Electrolytic manganese, a highly refined form of the metal, is also used, though in smaller quantities for manufacturing battery parts. The metal is also utilized in chemical applications such as formulation of inorganic salts and carboxylates, medicines, and catalysts, and rust proofing in metals. The other key application areas of manganese include plant fertilizers, animal feed, pigments in ceramics, brick colorants, coatings that expedite drying of paints and enamels, fuel oil additive, matches and glass materials. Steel continues to be the largest and most influential end-use market for manganese and market prospects are heavily tied to the industry. More than 90% of manganese consumption is used in steel industry, and due to this strong link, manganese consumption serves an index of industrial growth and in turn an indicator of economic growth. Most of the world’s manganese resources are found in select countries including Australia, South Africa, Gabon, and Brazil. India and Gabon supply large quantities to the West, and have of late reduced exports of low- and medium-grade ore. China has emerged as a major reserve for manganese, although most of the deposits are of low-grade ore, the quality of which needs to be improved.

The steady slump in steel production from mid 2011 precipitated the shortfall in Chinese Manganese. imports, in addition to triggering the fall of international manganese prices, thereby making manganese the worst performing metal commodity of the year. Prices were strained further by the rising Chinese inventory, as well as the oversupply from Indonesia and South Africa. The downhill movement of prices squeezed profit margins of manganese producers, with manganese ore prices falling to US$4.75 dmtu, inching closer to the breakeven level - US$3.50 per dmtu – at which high cost mining operations would be forced to shut down. With the threat of closure looming high, domestic producers in China cut down production in a bid to arrest the price fall, while several suppliers withheld stocks from the market due to the weak prices.

Recent innovations in the green energy sector are boosting demand for electrolytic manganese metal (EMM) and electrolytic manganese dioxide (EMD), thereby representing a potential boon for the North American manganese industry. EMM, a highly purified form of manganese is being increasingly used for fabricating cathodes, while EMD, a more refined variety of EMM is being used to produce anodes of the lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles. Given the rapidly expanding consumer base for electric cars, the United States is the leading global market for EMD and EMM. On a global scale, EMD and EMM, two highly-refined forms of manganese metal, are increasingly finding application in the production of lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles and other green energy applications. The demand for EMD from primary battery makers is projected to remain flat, while that from Li-on secondary battery manufacturers is anticipated to soar in the near term.

Asia-Pacific, led almost completely by China, represents the single-largest opportunity for the manganese market, accounting for a substantial share of the worldwide consumption, as stated by the new market research report on Manganese. With heavyweight China strongly influencing the global demand-supply balance, the Asia Pacific region is also slated to expand at the strongest pace of 8.8% through 2017. Within the product segments, SiMn Alloy dominates in terms of market size, as well as the overall growth rate over the analysis period.

The research report titled “Manganese: A Global Strategic Business Report” announced by Global Industry Analysts Inc., sheds light on the major market trends that are shaping manganese markets in the post-recession scenario. Besides highlighting the key market growth deterrents and drivers, the report provides a snapshot of the competitive landscape and recent industry activity. Analytics are presented in terms of annual consumption volume for the years 2009 through 2017 with breakdown of geographic markets, including US, Canada, Japan, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America and Rest of World (comprising Middle East and African countries). The report also proffers annual estimates and projections for the four major product segments, namely Ferro Manganese SilicoManganese, Refined Ferro Manganese, and Non-Ferrous Manganese Alloys. Key end-use segments analyzed include Steel Production, Battery Production and Other Applications. The study also provides historic data for an insight into market evolution over the period 2003 through 2008.

About Global Industry Analysts, Inc.
Global Industry Analysts, Inc., (GIA) is a leading publisher of off-the-shelf market research. Founded in 1987, the company currently employs over 800 people worldwide. Annually, GIA publishes more than 1300 full-scale research reports and analyzes 40,000+ market and technology trends while monitoring more than 126,000 Companies worldwide. Serving over 9500 clients in 27 countries, GIA is recognized today, as one of the world's largest and reputed market research firms.